Book review: Eliza and Her Monsters by Francesca Zappia

Eliza Mirk is an introvert. She has no friends at school, she rarely talks, and spends her day with her head buried in her sketchbook. Because Eliza has a secret: she’s the creator of a wildly popular webcomic called Monstrous Sea. As LadyConstellation, she has millions of fans, a forum devoted to her work, and a friends who help her manage her online empire. Then, she meets Wallace Warland, who turns out to be not only a huge Monstrous Sea fan, but also one of the most popular fanfic writer. He thinks she’s another fan and they quickly become close friends, and more. But when Eliza is inadvertently outed, the bonds of their friendship are tested and Eliza has to face her own inner monsters.

This was such a good book. I found Eliza and her online life very relatable. As someone who spent her college years immersed in fandom, I sympathized with her need for escape from reality in a creative outlet. I like her relationship with Wallace and how it grew over time. It wasn’t rushed; it moved at exactly the right pace you’d expect for two shy, damaged people. Wallace’s backstory broke my heart. He was so sweet and and gentle, which made total sense after what he’d been through.

Overall, I thought the book was amazing. I never could get into the excerpts from the Monstrous Sea, but I did like the “famous” lines in it. I liked how Eliza dealt with her monsters and enjoyed the whole ride.